REMINDER: If you are a relevant employer within the meaning of the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 and seeking to supply goods or services to government at or above $80,000, the Workplace Gender Equality Procurement Principles require you to provide a Certificate of Compliance with the Act as part of the procurement process.

To be eligible for a Compliance Certificate you must submit a report to WGEA by 31 May 2024 or seek an extension before 31 May and submit your report within the extension period. To seek an extension, please email support@wgea.gov.au with the subject heading Application for extension.

Closed ATM View - PROC-9176552

Epidemiology and management of Rhizoctonia in low and medium rainfall zones

Linda McDougall

Phone: 0472 832 502

Email Address: linda.mcdougall@grdc.com.au

Web Address: https://grdc.com.au/research/partnering-in-rde-investment/tenders/open-tenders

Document(s) Contact Name:
Linda McDougall

Document(s) Contact Phone:
0472 832 502

Document(s) Contact Email:
linda.mcdougall@grdc.com.au

ATM ID:

PROC-9176552

Agency:

Grains Research and Development Corporation

Category:

70140000 - Crop production and management and protection

Close Date & Time:

4-Apr-2022 5:00 pm (ACT Local Time)
Show close time for other time zones

Publish Date:

4-Mar-2022

Location:

VIC, SA, WA

ATM Type:

Request for Tender

Multi Agency Access:

Panel Arrangement:

Multi-stage:

Description:

Rhizoctonia remains a significant constraint to barley and wheat production in the low rainfall zone (LRZ) and medium rainfall zone (MRZ) of the Southern and Western regions, costing Australian growers $78M annually with potential costs of $165 million (Murray and Brennan, 2009). The disease caused by the fungal pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani can be responsible for up to 50% yield losses on calcareous soil types, such as in the upper Eyre Peninsula. The Southern LRZ National Grower Networks have consistently raised Rhizoctonia as a constraint in their cropping for over five years with the issue brought to the fore during the 2019 Southern Panel tour of the Eyre Peninsula. The Kwinana East/West port zones Grower Networks recently reported (July and August 2020) increasing incidence and severity (>30%) of Rhizoctonia with members indicating that every paddock has some level of Rhizoctonia damage. Also, a recent situation analysis of wheat diseases in the Western Region indicates that yield loss due to Rhizoctonia was >50% in Kwinana North, Esperance and Kwinana South port zones.

There are currently no resistant commercial cultivars to Rhizoctonia. In the absence of resistant cultivars, Rhizoctonia can be effectively and reliably managed by alternative best management practices, including rotations and chemical applications. However, in LRZ/MRZ, economic or practical reasons limit the use of those methods, and the unique characteristics of calcareous soils render many of the techniques significantly less effective. Previous GRDC investments (DAS00123 and DAS00125) evaluated the efficacy of fungicide control of Rhizoctonia, which resulted in the registration of in-furrow and seed-dressed fungicides. While these fungicide use patterns are effective, they are expensive both for the fungicide and in accessing the sowing equipment to utilise. Growers are reluctant to outlay these costs pre-sowing without knowledge of crop yield potential. Consequently, in-furrow fungicide application technology has not been widely adopted by growers. Growers require novel management strategies that are economical and practical to effectively manage the disease in their paddocks.

Investment Outcome

By June 2025, at least 40% of wheat and barley growers in the LRZ and MRZ of the Southern and Western Regions would have reduced the impact of Rhizoctonia on their crops and increased profitability by 1% through gaining new knowledge on the risk of the disease and implementation of new disease management strategies.

Outputs

Output 1 - By June 2025, report on innovative and effective management strategies for Rhizoctonia

Description: Description: To achieve this output, work undertaken across LRZ and MRZ of the Southern and Western regions and SWNSW, to include, but is not limited to:

A review of the potential actives (chemicals and biologicals) that can reduce Rhizoctonia infection pre-sowing and in-crop including potential path to market
Exploring the potential of different practices (plant fumigants, soil amelioration) on reducing the impact of Rhizoctonia in-crop
Explore potential new actives (biological, chemical) for effective control of Rhizoctonia in-crop.

Output 2 - By June 2025, report on new knowledge on the epidemiology of R.solani, incl. seasonal triggers driving increased disease expression and factors influencing disease expression interactions.

Description: To achieve this output, work, across LRZ and MRZ of the Southern and Western regions and SWNSW, could include but is not limited to: Understanding the spatial variability (within and between paddocks) in the Rhizoctonia pathogen populations.

The influence of environmental factors on disease expression relative to sowing conditions.
Impact of current agronomic practices (dry sowing, deep sowing / long coleoptile, herbicide application) and environmental variables on pathogen dynamics.

Output 3 - By June 2025, establish the economic / disease impact of Rhizoctonia in the LRZ and MRZ of the Southern and Western regions.

Description: The economic/disease impact, in wheat and barley, from Rhizoctonia determined in LRZ and MRZ within the Southern and Western regions and SWNSW (utilising existing data and new field trials where required).
Upload completed reports to GRDC Online Farm Trials.

Output 4 - By June 2025, deliver engagement activities that build grower knowledge and the confidence to implement best management practices for Rhizoctonia to minimise its impacts on production.

Description: A regional communication strategy (not limited to the subregions that the field sites are located), designed in consultation with the GRDC Communications Team.

Strategy to include but not limited to, targeted information resources disseminated through a range of appropriate techniques such as grower management packages, multimedia material, workshops, field days, fact sheets and media releases.

Other Instructions:

Minimum Form and Content Requirements:

The following are the mandatory content and format requirements that the Tenderer must complete and provide to participate in this procurement process:

Submit Tenders using the Grains Investment Portal.
Write Tenders in English and express any measurements in Australian legal units of measurement.

Conditions for Participation:

The following are mandatory conditions with which a Tenderer must comply to participate in this procurement process:

1. The Tenderer and any subcontractor must not be named on the Consolidated List, being the list of persons and entities who are subject to targeted financial sanctions or travel bans under Australian sanction laws, as maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

2. The Tenderer and any subcontractor must not have a judicial decision against it (not including decisions under appeal) relating to employee entitlements and who have not paid the claim.

3. The Tenderer must be a single legal entity or recognised firm of partners

4. The Tenderer and any proposed subcontractor must be compliant with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012

The Evaluation Criteria for this Tender can be found on the GRDC website: https://grdc.com.au/research/partnering-in-rde-investment/tenders/open-tenders/2022/epidemiology-and-management-of-rhizoctonia-in-low-and-medium-rainfall-zones

Timeframe for Delivery:

It is anticipated that any resultant contract in relation to this procurement will commence with a proposed term of 3 years.

Address for Lodgement:

Submit your Tender through the Grains Investment Portal by 5pm AEST on Monday 4th April 2022